For an international twist on traditional Christmas recipes, EHL Ingredients is offering food manufacturers a range of festive organic ingredient blends and stuffing mixes.

Spice up stuffings with two organic mixes from EHL. The first is a Middle Eastern style organic sultana, lemon and spice stuffing – a mix of juicy sultanas, breadcrumbs, a burst of citrus lemon with aromatic fennel, coriander, ginger and black pepper. Or for a distinctive Mediterranean flavour, add the organic garlic, tomato and herb stuffing to Christmas dishes and dinners – a blend of organic breadcrumbs, garlic, tomato, spices fennel, cumin, black pepper, parsley and oregano.

With the demand from UK consumers for more exotic flavour combinations, food manufacturers can create unique festive dishes by using the blends as accompaniments to spice up traditional pork, lamb, chicken or turkey dishes or use in dry format for stuffing mixtures and balls.

Part of EHL’s organic range, the versatile stuffing mixes are an exciting addition to the seasonal range designed to add alternative flavours and textures to Christmas dinners, and tap into consumers’ love of world cuisine.

For a more traditional Christmas recipe, EHL also offers organic spiced cranberry stuffing which combines nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper with tangy cranberries to bring festive flavours to seasonal dishes.

In addition, the leading importer, blender and packer of food ingredients from around the world also supplies mulled wine blends, dried fruit mixes and mixed seasonal spices. EHL’s mulled wine and cider blend includes a balanced combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. EHL’s premium ground mixed spice blend is the perfect product to use in a variety of Christmas-themed recipes while dried fruits and mixed peel are also key ingredients for baked goods such as Christmas puddings, stollen and fruit loaves as well as modern recipes, such as spiced orange and cranberry cake and mince pie cupcakes.

Available in bulk, the blends are ideal for food manufacturers and processors to add to prepared foods or package into smaller bags or boxes to be sold on supermarket shelves for consumers to use at home. EHL can supply these blends under short lead times if required, can collaborate with brands and food manufacturers developing new products and can also offer advice on new and existing formulations.

Christine Peers, sales director at EHL Ingredients, says: “Following customer demand for new and innovative additions to traditional Christmas recipes, as well as responding to market trends for quality, organic products, we are offering a range of both traditional and international blends this Christmas.

“We launched our first range of organic blends last year, and since then we’ve had an influx of requests for new international blends and stuffing mixes. British consumers are always looking for the next big food trend, especially around Christmas, and our new organic stuffing mixes are certain to be a popular choice.

“Christmas is always a key period for food manufacturers, and our quality spices are perfect for many types of bakery items, ready meals and Christmas-themed dishes and accompaniments. It’s important for food manufacturers to stay one step ahead and use interesting, quality products that consumers will love and buy time and again.

EHL Ingredients can offer allergen-free as well as conventional and organic blends on request, can match or enhance existing blends and can collaborate with manufacturers on bespoke formulations for new products.

All blends are formulated on-site in EHL’s new product development kitchen using high quality organic ingredients from trusted suppliers around the globe. It also offers bespoke organic herb and spice blends which can be sold as ready-made mixes or marinades. Its products are available to food manufacturers and meat processors, wholesalers and cash and carries, co-packers, multiple retailers, health food stores and large co-operatives.

To ensure that all EHL’s ingredients are 100 per cent organic, it carries out a rigorous auditing process for all of its suppliers. Additionally, at its headquarters in Stockport, Cheshire, it follows strict hygiene procedures to ensure that there is no cross-contamination, providing the very best in quality for its customers.

Natalie Daley will be responsible for product specifications, overseeing quality and food safety procedures and ensuring all food standards policies are met. As Technical Manager, she will create, amend and adapt product specifications, both for existing ingredients and new herb and spice blends, as well as oversee all quality systems to ensure they meet regulatory standards. With a Bsc in Food and Nutrition from Manchester Metropolitan University, Natalie brings with her three years’ industry experience.

The latest addition to the team is part of EHL Ingredients’ on-going business growth plan, aiming for sales of £7 million by the end of 2016, and brings the staff total to 30 at the head office on Broadstone Industrial Estate in Reddish, Stockport. Natalie will report to joint Managing Director, Tasneem Backhouse, who is delighted to welcome her to the team.

Tasneem commented: “Natalie is joining us at an exciting time for the company. Her valuable technical expertise and knowledge of policies and standards will support the company as a whole to ensure we continue to deliver high quality products, as we plan to increase our supplier base, and extend our product portfolio and range of international herb and spice blends.

“As we enter our twentieth year of business, we have set our sights on achieving sales of £7 million – our highest target to date. We are confident about our progress as business and are proud of our achievements to date in this highly competitive market place.”

In addition to Natalie’s appointment, EHL is pleased to announce promotions within the company. Susan Baron will now be working as EHL’s Customer Service Manager, Sherill Simm has been promoted to Account Manager, and Andrew Pickering will now act as Technical Administrator.
Amanda Garnett has also been appointed as Purchasing Assistant.

The company supplies around 300 food ingredients and boasts a 200-strong organic range as well as over 70 custom blends. EHL Ingredients’ products are sold into the food manufacturing, wholesale, retail and catering sectors and used in end products, such as breads and bakery items, ready meals, healthy snacks and soups and sauces. They are also sold to speciality food shops, delis and organic retailers across the UK.
EHL Ingredients was awarded its fifth grade A BRC certification once again in December last year. This gives EHL’s customers the reassurance of the company’s quality and safety management processes and opens up new growth opportunities for the business.
To find out more about EHL Ingredients, visit www.ehl-ingredients.co.uk, email info@ehl-ingredients.co.uk or call 0161 480 7902.
ENDS
EHL Ingredients is an importer, blender and packer of food ingredients from around the world. From herbs and spices, to beans and pulses and dried fruit, it supplies over 300 food ingredients to all areas of the food industry, and boasts a 200-strong organic range as well as over 70 custom blends. Now in its 20th year of trading, it employs 30 staff and its head office is based on Broadstone Industrial Estate, Stockport.

The first is a Middle Eastern style organic sultana, lemon and spice stuffing – a mix of juicy sultanas, breadcrumbs, a burst of citrus lemon with aromatic fennel, coriander, ginger and black pepper.

With a distinctive Mediterranean flavour, the second addition is an organic garlic, tomato and herb stuffing – a blend of organic breadcrumbs, garlic, tomato, spices fennel, cumin, black pepper, parsley and oregano.

Food manufacturers can include the blends in Middle Eastern and Mediterranean ready meals and accompaniments to spice up pork, lamb, chicken or turkey dishes, as well as meat-free foods such as vegetarian mince, stuffed peppers, cabbage rolls and baked mushrooms.

Available in bulk, the blends are ideal for packers, retailers and food processors to package into smaller bags or boxes to be sold on supermarket shelves for consumers to use at home.

The leading importer, blender and packer of food ingredients from around the world already offers eight organic ingredient blends and these new stuffing mixes bring authentic flavours and textures to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern style dishes, allowing food manufacturers to create tasty, organic international foods.

According to The Soil Association, UK sales of organic products increased by 4.9 per cent last year and shoppers spent an extra £1.73 million a week on organic products. The research also revealed that shoppers are becoming increasingly health conscious, causing the net worth of the UK organic market to rocket to almost £2 billion.[1]

As Organic September marks the UK’s biggest national campaign dedicated to growing the organic market, and boosting awareness of the benefits and availability of organic foods, food manufacturers and processors are urged to prepare for a rise in demand by stocking up now.

Christine Peers, sales director at EHL Ingredients, says: “Our development team is constantly working on new blends and seasonings, especially within organic, so we’re delighted to launch these two new stuffing mixes to strengthen our offering.

“We launched our first range of organic blends last year, and since then we’ve had an influx of requests for new international blends and stuffing mixes. Shoppers are increasingly looking for integrity in their food purchases and with the organic market continuing to grow, as is demand for our organic blends and mixes, we plan to continue expanding our range to provide quality, organic ingredients and blends for food manufacturers to add to international dishes.

“This is not just great news for us, but offers a really positive outlook for the organic food market as a whole. We’re delighted with the response to our organic range from customers and we put our success in the organic arena down to several key factors – health benefits, an increase in consumer awareness, education on organic foods and healthier eating, and the consistent high quality of our products.

“With The Soil Association predicting more opportunities for future growth, and as the UK organic market hits £1.95 billion, we look forward to strengthening our position in this burgeoning marketplace and are aiming to see a further increase in sales of our organic ingredients during Organic September and the remainder of 2016.”

“It’s important for food manufacturers to stay one step ahead of market trends and create popular organic products that will perform well within this burgeoning market and that consumers will love.”

All blends are formulated on-site in EHL’s new product development kitchen using high quality organic ingredients from trusted suppliers around the globe. These two new additions take EHL’s organic blends range to ten in total. EHL also stocks around 200 organic ingredients, including herbs and spices, beans, lentils and peas, herbs, nuts and dried fruits, seeds and flakes, grains and rice, oils, vinegars, salts, sugars and syrups, as well as other ingredients such as flour, honey and fruit concentrates.

It also offers bespoke organic herb and spice blends which can be sold as ready-made mixes or marinades. Its products are available to food manufacturers and meat processors, wholesalers and cash and carries, co-packers, multiple retailers, health food stores and large co-operatives.

To ensure that all EHL’s ingredients are 100 per cent organic, it carries out a rigorous auditing process for all of its suppliers. Additionally, at its headquarters in Stockport, Cheshire, it follows strict hygiene procedures to ensure that there is no cross-contamination, providing the very best in quality for its customers.

EHL Ingredients, a leading importer, supplier and blender of quality ingredients, has added two new Mexican spice blends to its portfolio, tapping into the burgeoning market for the Central American cuisine.

The first is Fiery Mexican marinade, a powerful, spicy mix of Mexican ancho chillies, cumin, oregano and garlic creating plenty of heat while retaining savoury flavours to perfectly complement meats and vegetables used in Mexican dishes and accompaniments. The marinade takes just 10 minutes to prepare and gives chicken wings and pork belly strips a simple and strong flavour for consumers looking for a hot and spicy dish.

The second blend is a Sweet Chipotle and Lime burger seasoning. The medium heat is balanced with spice, tangy lime and subtle sweetness to pack a powerful Mexican punch in to traditional burger recipes.

The company noticed the increasing popularity of Mexican, Central American and Tex-Mex foods with the cuisine knocking Chinese food off the top spot as the UK’s favourite. Additionally, Mexican food on-the-go is also experiencing a surge in popularity, particularly among quick service, casual dining and takeaway burrito outlets offering fast, affordable and filling foods.

Christine Peers, sales director at EHL Ingredients comments: “Mexican food continues to be popular in the UK within the restaurant and casual dining sectors, in takeaway, in retail ready meals and kits as well as in at-home cooking. Sales of our existing Mexican blends are increasing as well as single spices and chillies of various strengths so we wanted to offer food manufacturers an extra hot blend as well as burger seasoning to tap into consumer trends and demand.

“The Mexican food market is highly competitive within both the retail and foodservice sectors. We understand that manufacturers have to work hard to create successful products and innovate to maintain customer interest. We work with many leading companies to provide our natural herbs, spices and seasonings and can even work with product development teams to develop custom blends or organic varieties of any of our Mexican seasonings, depending on heat strength and taste requirements. We pride ourselves on offering unique spice blends and seasonings and our established Mexican varieties have proven popular and successful year on year.

“Our herbs, spices, marinades and seasonings are all sourced from reliable and approved Mexican suppliers, bringing authentic flavours to dishes and meals for foodservice outlets and supermarket shelves.

As British consumers’ hunger for spicy Mexican foods continues, food manufacturers and processors need to ensure their offering is as authentic, tasty and satisfying as possible, to ensure repeat purchase and customer loyalty. Provenance is key for EHL and it sources its ingredients from quality Mexican suppliers with full traceability.

EHL supplies Mexican chillies – red and green jalapeño, habanero and ancho – as well as blends of Fajita seasoning, burrito/taco seasoning, albondigas meatball seasoning, Cajun seasoning, Blackened Cajun seasoning, which have all shown a 20% increase in sales, compared with this time last year. The seasonings and marinades are sold to food manufacturers and processors, repackers, wholesalers, cash and carries, catering suppliers, foodservice operators, as well as multiple and independent retailers across the UK.

To find out more about EHL Ingredients email info@ehl-ingredients.co.uk or call 0161 480 7902

EHL Ingredients has launched a new spicy Brazilian ingredient blend to celebrate the Rio 2016 Olympics, as well as two new BBQ seasonings and an alternative stuffing mix for summer dining occasions and group gatherings.

Bringing traditional South American flavours to British consumers, the Brazilian style churrasco seasoning contains a blend of red bell peppers, black pepper, tomato, onion, garlic and bay leaf, and works particularly well in grilled chicken dishes.

In addition, EHL has launched a new BBQ seasoning – a blend of smoked paprika, tomato, celery and mustard; as well as a Memphis BBQ dry marinade – a sweet blend with a slightly tangy soya sauce note, for a taste of the deep south, enhanced with chilli herbs and allspice. Manufacturers can use this to spice up meat recipes, including chicken wings, beef burgers, and steaks.

For an alternative side dish at British BBQs this summer, EHL has also developed a smoked paprika, tomato and parsley stuffing mix.

Traditional Brazilian foods incorporating beans, cashews, peanuts and chillies, as well as meat marinades, sauces and seasonings for churrascos are expected to fly off the shelves this summer. Simplicity is key to a lot of Brazilian dishes, as is the use of intense flavours and spices.

Christine Peers, sales director at EHL Ingredients, says: “With the Olympics taking place in Rio in August, we anticipate that ingredients and dishes from Brazil will experience a boost in popularity in the UK, influencing the flavour combinations and products available to consumers. Our new Brazilian blend is set to be a popular choice for food manufacturers creating Brazilian themed dishes for supermarket shelves and foodservice outlets.

“There has been a rise in Brazilian restaurants in many cities in the UK, with consumers eager to experience new and exotic flavours. Manufacturers can tap into the worldwide sporting celebration by experimenting with authentic Brazilian ingredients and blends.”

Commenting on the BBQ seasoning, Christine continues, “Consumers are gearing up for the summer season, and soon the nation will be dusting off the barbecue and enjoying the warmer weather – with the Olympics set to be a driver for South American-style ingredients and recipes. Our new Brazilian and BBQ blends and seasonings will enhance the traditional classics, such as grilled meat and vegetable dishes, as well as adding authentic world flavours to the mix.

“Authenticity and provenance are high importance for EHL, and we always go the extra mile to ensure that our ingredients are sourced from quality suppliers with full traceability to the country of origin, assuring manufacturers that the product they are getting is 100 per cent authentic.”

In an increasingly competitive marketplace, consumers are more discerning than ever before. Food manufacturers can invest in a quality selection of seasonings, marinades, and blends from EHL to ensure successful end products.

As well as the new Brazilian and BBQ blends, EHL has recently launched four new Asian blends, and stocks around 200 organic ingredients, including herbs and spices, beans, lentils and peas, herbs, nuts and dried fruits, seeds and flakes, grains and rice, oils, vinegars, salts, sugars and syrups, as well as other ingredients such as flour, honey and fruit concentrates.

EHL’s products are available to food manufacturers and meat processors, as well as to wholesalers and cash and carries, co-packers, multiple retailers, health food stores and large co-operatives and to caterers and chefs.

To find out more about EHL Ingredients email info@ehl-ingredients.co.uk or call 0161 480 7902.

EHL Ingredients has launched four new Asian herb and spice blends following the surge in popularity of Thai and Chinese dishes.

The new range from the leading importer, blender and packer of food ingredients includes Thai seven spice, Spicy Thai fish seasoning, Chinese five spice and Aromatic Oriental. The versatile spice blends can be rubbed onto meat or fish, used in vegetable dishes, or incorporated into formulations to recreate authentic Asian meals and accompaniments.

Research from Mintel reveals that almost four out of five Brits have eaten Chinese food at home in the past three months, with 12 per cent eating it at least once a week, and there are now over 2,000 Thai restaurants in the UK, showing a healthy appetite for Asian cuisine.

The new Thai seven spice blend is a unique combination of crushed chillies with paprika, cumin, ground coriander, turmeric, fenugreek, ginger and celery, perfect for manufacturers to include in chicken or pork dishes – like Pad Thai or Red Curry Pork – as well as in stir-fried vegetables. It can be sprinkled onto foods, used as a rub or marinade or added to creamy curries.

The new spicy Thai fish seasoning brings an authentic flavour to baked, grilled and fried fish dishes as well as fishcakes, soups and ramens.

EHL’s Chinese five spice is a subtle combination of fennel, cassia, star anise, clove and black pepper. The spice traditionally encompasses different tastes – sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy, which provide an essential seasoning base in Chinese cooking for dishes such as stir fries and chow mein.

The Aromatic Oriental dry marinade is a multipurpose, authentic mix of star anise, ginger, fennel and cinnamon, ideal for use on a range of proteins or meats for meal centres. This versatile marinade is quick and easy to use but its simplicity does not compromise on taste.

Food manufacturers can take advantage of the market’s growing demand by incorporating EHL’s Asian blends to dishes, to create Thai and Chinese inspired meals and accompaniments for today’s well-travelled consumers.

“Chinese has long been a favourite food among Brits as a takeaway, for eating out, and as ready meals and ingredients kits for cooking in the home and we expect this popularity to continue. We are also seeing the emergence of Thai restaurants, chains, street food outlets, and takeaways, as well as meal kits from supermarkets, and consumers are also recreating dishes themselves at home with spice blends and kits for popular meals and accompaniments such as aromatic spicy curries, soups, stir fries, soups and noodle dishes.

“We’re always looking out for the next big food trend to create herb and spice blends for manufacturers to add to formulations for authentic world foods and we’re aiming to launch more blends, seasonings and marinades in the coming months to strengthen our portfolio.”

As well as new Asian blends, EHL stocks around 200 organic ingredients, including herbs and spices, beans, lentils and peas, herbs, nuts and dried fruits, seeds and flakes, grains and rice, oils, vinegars, salts, sugars and syrups, as well as other ingredients such as flour, honey and fruit concentrates. EHL also offers a range of 30 organic blends, as well as bespoke organic herb and spice blends which can be sold as ready-made mixes.

EHL’s ingredients are available to manufacturers and food processors, direct and via wholesalers, distributors and cash and carries. It supplies organic and conventional formats in bulk 25kg bags, and products can be ordered in smaller quantities if required and packed down to 1kg bags.

To find out more about EHL Ingredients, visit www.ehl-ingredients.co.uk, email info@ehl-ingredients.co.uk or call 0161 480 7902.

ENDS

EHL Ingredients is an importer, blender and packer of food ingredients from around the world. From herbs and spices, to beans and pulses and dried fruit, it supplies over 300 food ingredients to all areas of the food industry, and boasts a 200-strong organic range as well as over 70 ingredient blends.

EHL Ingredients is restructuring its management board with founder Emma Haq taking on the role of Chairman and Tasneem Backhouse and Naseem Ul-Haq becoming joint managing directors. Christine Peers will become sales director and new recruit, Kim Hooson, steps into the national sales manager position.

Last year, the company achieved year-end sales of £5.8 million, aiming to reach £7 million by the end of 2016, it’s twentieth year of operation, marking a successful 12 months for the food ingredients supplier with further growth, expansion and product development planned.

Previously, Emma was managing director, Tasneem was sales and marketing director, Naseem was financial director and Christine was sales manager. Kim joins the company from House of Flavours, Gloucestershire and will lead the new business drive, targeting food manufacturers, wholesalers, caterers and retailers around the UK.
EHL has witnessed a notable increase in demand for its ingredient blends. It also launched eight new organic herb and spice mixes and marinades, as well as two new gluten-free ingredients – ground cumin and coriander – with more in the pipeline. The product development team is working on more new ingredient blends, including bespoke, as well as organic and free-from products to tap into these burgeoning markets. It will also target the catering and foodservice sector with new formats launching soon.

The company is planning further growth and expansion as well as celebrations to mark its twentieth anniversary later this year.

Managing director, Tasneem Backhouse, says: “The revised management structure will give the business new direction as we aim for our highest sales targets to date and celebrate our twentieth year in operation. Over the last two decades, we have become strong in certain areas of the food industry and have a loyal base of customers. Now, we want to really bolster our position within organic, free-from foods and the catering sector.

“Our new organic ingredient blends have had very positive feedback so far and we will be continuing to push this side of the business, especially over the summer BBQ season and in the run up to Christmas.

“We’re proud to be celebrating our twentieth year in businesses this year and would like to thank all our customers, suppliers, partners and employees for supporting us. Some of our longest standing customers have been with us for 20 years, which is testament to the quality of our products and the reliability of our service. We look forward to continuing these strong partnerships and building new ones as the business grows.

“We put our success and stability down to several key factors; our responsiveness to customer demand and consumer trends, a strong sales team, quality organic, free-from and conventional products, and our bespoke on-site blending capabilities. Our new product development team, technical expertise, reliable service and our positive profile in the food industry press also contribute towards our business growth and will continue to do so. We are confident about our progress as a business and are proud of our achievements in this highly competitive market place.”

EHL currently employs 30 staff and is based on the Broadstone Industrial Estate in Reddish. The company supplies around 300 food ingredients and boasts a 200-strong organic range as well as over 70 custom blends. EHL Ingredients’ products are sold into the food manufacturing, wholesale, retail and catering sectors and used in end products, such as breads and bakery items, ready meals, healthy snacks and soups and sauces. They are also sold to speciality food shops, delis and organic retailers across the UK.

The company was awarded its fifth grade A BRC certification once again in December last year. This gives EHL’s customers the reassurance of the company’s quality and safety management processes and opens up new growth opportunities for the business.

To find out more about EHL Ingredients, visit www.ehl-ingredients.co.uk, email info@ehl-ingredients.co.uk or call 0161 480 7902.

EHL Ingredients, a leading importer, blender and packer of food ingredients from around the world, has launched two new oriental ingredient blends ahead of Chinese New Year on 8th February; Chinese five spice and Aromatic Oriental dry marinade.

Consumer research reflects an increase in demand for authentic world flavours, and Chinese food proves more popular with British consumers than other leading flavours, Indian and Mexican.[1] In response to this, and to service food manufacturers’ increasing interest in Chinese cuisine ahead of Chinese New Year, EHL’s new product development team developed two bespoke flavourings.

EHL’s Chinese five spice is a subtle combination of fennel, cassia, star anise, clove and black pepper. The spice traditionally encompasses different tastes – sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy – which provides an essential seasoning base in Chinese cooking for dishes such as stir fries and chow mein.

The Aromatic Oriental dry marinade is an authentic mix of star anise, ginger, fennel and cinnamon, ideal for use on a range of proteins or meats. The marinade is quick and easy to use but its simplicity does not compromise on taste; the versatility of flavours creates impact in Chinese cooking, providing a simple and efficient process for manufacturers looking to deliver popular, quality products.

Tasneem Backhouse, sales director at EHL Ingredients, says: “We have developed the individual ingredients in our product portfolio to make up these popular flavours, so it is easier for manufacturers to source quality ingredients and create products that satisfy emerging trends in consumer tastes.

“We noticed from the market research that Chinese food is still popular among consumers, whether for eating in the home or for dining out. According to Mintel, three quarters of restaurant or takeaway users have visited a Chinese restaurant or takeaway, topping the proportion visiting Indian or Thai. As such, our Chinese products are readily available to food manufacturers and processors developing dishes for dining outlets, as well as for supermarket shelves.

“With Chinese New Year upcoming on 8th February, we have developed these two new blends to allow food manufacturers to create authentic products to entice customers during the celebratory period. As demand continues to grow, we look forward to developing our range of blends even further.”

As well as the new Chinese ingredient blends, EHL has recently launched two new gluten-free ingredients, and stocks around 200 organic ingredients, including herbs and spices, beans, lentils and peas, herbs, nuts and dried fruits, seeds and flakes, grains and rice, oils, vinegars, salts, sugars and syrups, as well as other ingredients such as flour, honey and fruit concentrates.

EHL’s products are available to food manufacturers and meat processors, as well as to wholesalers and cash and carries, co-packers, multiple retailers, health food stores and large co-operatives and to caterers and chefs.

EHL’s premises in Stockport, Cheshire are certified grade A by BRC Global Standards.

First year Nutritional Sciences students at Manchester Metropolitan University were treated to a visit from EHL Ingredients this week, to learn all about the wonderful world of herbs and spices.

Kath Davis, New Product Development Manager at EHL Ingredients, based in Reddish, Stockport, visited the Department of Food and Tourism at the Hollings Faculty on Cavendish Road, to present an educational workshop on the history, classification and uses of herbs and spices from around the world.

The interactive sessions showed the Nutritional Sciences students over 90 examples of herbs, spices and blends with the students learning about culinary and medicinal uses and benefits of the food ingredients.

Haleh Moravej, Senior Lecturer of Nutritional Sciences at Manchester Met, comments: “We are always keen to work with local businesses to educate our students about the various career opportunities in the food industry. We strive to create real life situations for our students and work with food and nutrition organisations. Kath’s presentation certainly inspired the students to use a wider range of herbs and spices in their recipes and they enjoyed learning about the different uses and flavours of spices and how to create their own blends too. Thank you to Kath and the team at EHL Ingredients for sharing this knowledge and experience with our students, who will be putting their new insights into practice in the demo kitchens.“

Kath adds: “The students were really responsive and were keen to get involved, especially with the interactive session. It was great to teach the next generation of food scientists and food product innovators about the world of herbs and spices and hopefully they will be adding more exotic herbs and spices to their recipes. They were a great group to work with and we wish them all the best with their studies.“

EHL Ingredients is based in Reddish, Stockport and is an importer, blender and packer of food ingredients from around the world. From herbs and spices, to beans, pulses and dried fruit, it supplies over 300 food ingredients to all areas of the food industry, and boasts a 200-strong organic range as well as over 70 custom blends. EHL Ingredients’ products are used in foods such as breads and bakery items, ready meals, healthy snacks and soups and sauces.

EHL Ingredients has launched a new organic spiced cranberry stuffing mix, bringing a seasonal twist to traditional Christmas fare and accompaniments. The spiced cranberry stuffing combines organic nutmeg, cinnamon and black pepper with tangy cranberries to bring festive flavours to seasonal dishes. The blend is part of a new organic stuffing range which includes Onion and mixed herb, Garlic, tomato and herb, and Sultana, lemon and mixed spice. The organic mixes are an exciting addition to the seasonal range EHL has developed to add flavour and texture to Christmas dinners. The new organic stuffing mixes are the result of over six months’ research and development and following rigorous trials, tests and tastings they are now available to the food manufacturing industry. The versatile mixes can be added to meat main course dishes, such as prepared turkey or beef joints, or used in dry format to create stuffing mixtures and balls. In addition, EHL offers two conventional stuffing mixes – Sage, onion, apple and lemon stuffing and a Warm winter spice with apricot and herb stuffing mix, featuring a flavoursome mixture of allspice, ginger, cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, apricot, thyme and parsley. The leading importer, blender and packer of food ingredients from around the world also supplies mulled wine blends, dried fruit mixes and mixed seasonal spices. EHL’s mulled wine and cider blend includes a balanced combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger. EHL’s premium ground mixed spice blend is the perfect product to use in a variety of Christmas-themed recipes while dried fruits and mixed peel are also key ingredients for baked goods such as Christmas puddings, stollen and fruit loaves as well as modern recipes, such as spiced orange and cranberry cake and mince pie cupcakes. Food manufacturers and processors looking to create quality Christmas dishes and accompaniments for supermarket shelves or foodservice outlets should start stocking up on these versatile new blends and popular ingredients from EHL. EHL can supply these new blends under short lead times if required, can collaborate with brands and food manufacturers developing new products and can also offer advice on new and existing formulations. Tasneem Backhouse, Sales and Marketing Director at EHL Ingredients, says: “Following customer demand for new and innovative additions to traditional Christmas recipes, as well as responding to market trends for quality, organic products, we have developed this new organic stuffing blend. British consumers are always looking for the next big food trend, especially around Christmas, and our new organic stuffing mixes are certain to be a popular choice. We expect the new spiced cranberry, in particular, to be a festive favourite. “It’s important for food manufacturers to stay one step ahead and use interesting, quality products that consumers will love and buy time and again. Christmas is always a key period for us and our quality spices are perfect for many types of bakery items, ready meals and Christmas-themed dishes and accompaniments.” EHL has carried out research and development over several months to offer organic ingredient blends, which ensure food manufacturers, processors and bakers are using only the highest quality ingredients in their end products. All blends are formulated on-site in EHL’s new product development kitchen using high quality ingredients from trusted suppliers around the globe. EHL Ingredients can offer allergen-free and organic blends on request, can match or enhance existing blends and can collaborate with manufacturers on bespoke formulations for new products. EHL’s new organic blends are available direct to food manufacturers and via wholesalers, distributors and cash and carries across the UK. Its products are available in various quantities, dependent on requirements. To discuss your requirements or to find out more about the new blends, email info@ehl-ingredients.co.uk or call 0161 480 7902.

EHL is one of the UK's foremost suppliers of natural ingredients with a reputation for quality and reliability. Our range of over 300 ingredients includes spices ground & whole, mixed seasonings, herbs, flakes & seeds, Mexican specialties, dried fruits, nuts & lentils and dehydrated vegetables. We have many years of experience of purchasing high quality food ingredients around the world and are suppliers to some of the UK's biggest food companies and brands.